I. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to exercise devices used for improved physical balance, cardiopulmonary exercise, strength, physical fitness, proprioception, mental fitness, and entertainment purposes.
II. State of the Art
Exercise and exercise equipment are increasingly important in the modern world as time spent by individuals becomes more docile, and the needs for physical movement are consequently limited by modern mobility devices such as automobiles, elevators, escalators, moving sidewalks, airplanes, drive-through eating establishments, golf carts, and a host of other amenities. Work itself has become less physically active through urban migration from the fields to the cities. Even in rural, agricultural environments, where physical labor was once part and parcel with economic production, modern mechanization and labor saving devices have eliminated the need for much of the physical work previously performed in traditionally labor intensive industries. Additionally, the growth of a knowledge economy, computing devices, and modern telecommunications obviate many of the prior needs for physical meetings that were once a necessity of human communication, and that often require physical travel and at least a component of physical movement or exercise.
Though this trend has developed for more than a century, the growth of the exercise equipment industry in recent decades illustrates a growing demand across the broad population for equipment and tools that enable the fulfillment of their needs for physical exercise, physical therapy, and recreational diversions from their busy, but often sedentary, working lives. Furthermore, as sedentary lifestyles became a norm, so also did the risks of physical injury due to decreased physical fitness and strength.
Yet, as awareness of the benefits of physical fitness expands across the population, there is a wave of newfound athleticism and physical activity. When physical activity is undertaken without proper training and preparation, athletes expose themselves to higher risk for physical injury.
Additionally, life expectancy has increased through modern medical science, and older individuals recognize that physical fitness can enhance their personal enjoyment of life in later years. However, because older athletes generally heal at a slower rate than younger ones, we also see a corresponding rise in physical injuries among this portion of the population.
As the desire for maintenance, enhancement and optimization of physical fitness for the enjoyment of health benefits, prevention of injury, and recovery from injuries continues to increase, individuals are increasingly joining health clubs or purchasing exercise equipment for their homes.
Indoor exercise equipment is one of the fastest growing segments in the exercise equipment market. Home and exercise club uses of these devices are progressively expanding across the nation. The types of available indoor exercise devices have also rapidly diversified. From the iron barbells and leather medicine balls of yesteryear to the modern treadmills, stationary cycles, and mechanical weightlifting devices of today, the field has advanced substantially. To date however, the field lacks a stationary scooter exercise device, which enables unique exercising, physical therapy, and entertainment methods. This Stationary Exercise Scooter invention solves this need.
III. Specifics to the State of the Art                The Applicant is aware of a number of scooter and exercise device inventions related to the proffered invention, including U.S. Pat. Nos.:            3,331,612 A to Tietge, issued Jul. 18, 1967;    4,082,265 to Berkes, issued Apr. 4, 1978;    4,867,188 to Reid, issued Sep. 19, 1989;    4,925,183 to Kim, issued May 15, 1990;    5,407,408 to Wilkinson, issued Apr. 18, 1995;    5,413,544 to Fiore, issued May 9, 1995;    5,492,521 A to Wilkinson, et al., issued Feb. 20, 1996;    5,518,476 A to McLeon, issued May 21, 1996;    5,385,520 to Lepine, et al., issued Jan. 31, 1995;    5,800,317 to Acetta, issued Sep. 1, 1998;    6,004,243 to Ewert, issued Dec. 22, 1999;    6,056,672 to Corbonell Tendero, issued May 2, 2000;    6,227,555 B1 to Wang et al., issued May 8, 2001;    6,344,838 B1 to Lee, issued Jan. 1, 2002;    6,485,041 B1 to Janssen, issued Nov. 26, 2002;    6,659,486 B2 to Eschenbach, issued Dec. 9, 2003;    6,715,779 B2 to Eschenbach, issued Apr. 6, 2006;    6,837,504 B2 to Garner, issued Jan. 4, 2005;    6,857,648 B2 to Mehmet, issued Feb. 22, 2005;    6,878,101 B2 to Colley, issued Apr. 12, 2005;    6,893,382 B1 to Moon, et al., issued May 17, 2005;    7,081,074 B1 to Rubin, issued Jul. 25, 2006;    7,220,219 B2 to Papadopoulos, issued May 22, 2007.    The Applicant is aware of a number of scooter and exercise device inventions related to the proffered invention, including the following publications: 2002 003 9952 A1 by Clem 2002 013 7610 A1 to Broudy 2002 014 7087 A1 by Tollner 2003 002 5291 A1 by Fong, published Feb. 6, 2003; 2005 000 09668 A1 by Savettiere et al., published Jan. 13, 2005; 2007 002 7009 A1 by Arnold 2007 014 2177 A1 by Simms et al., published Jun. 21, 2007; 2007 018 4953 A1 by Luberski
The Applicant is aware of the following foreign patent document(s) related to the proffered invention:    United Kingdom patent Number GB 2387824A, issued October 2003.
Viewing the aforementioned known inventions individually and as a whole, there is no suggestion of any configuration that approximates the current invention. A need still exists for an exercise device enabling balance and cardiopulmonary exercise in a proximate space. Furthermore, a need still exists for a device enabling a user to actualize side to side movement, and simulate the forward movement of an unstable board or scooter with the physical demands of riding the device while remaining within a proximate space. While several of the inventions cited present scooter devices with fixed, mechanical, kick pedals to enable locomotion, they lack a device enabling balance and cardiopulmonary exercise in a proximate space, and are all absent of moving or movable kick treads, treadmills, and conveyers enabling scooter movement within a fixed space, simulated scooter propulsion, or limited movement of a scooter within a proximate space of the device as a whole.